A look back at the LMP categories 4 Hours of Estoril

Beside a small off track from Ludovic Badey, the Thiriet by TDS Racing team did not encounter any problem. The French team wins the season finale but misses the 2015 title by two little points. The French crew leaves Portugal with the Vice Champion title, and two race wins this season in Imola and Estoril. For this final race, the team had changed the driver line up, with LMP2 Le Mans winner and former WEC LMP1 Toyota driver Nicolas Lapierre. “When we got here, we knew exactly what we wanted to do this week-end, that is win the race! That was the objective number one. Then when I got in the car, we were third and not far from the leaders. We just knew that without a win, there was no way we could think of the title. We decided to go on slick tires as soon as possible; we did take a risk, but it definitely worked out very well. I took the lead, and went on all the way to the win. I am disappointed for the team, because two little points, really it’s nothing on a whole season. I would like to thank warmly my two teammates and all the staff of the team, because they did a great job. The car felt really good and we won. On top of that, it was a great pleasure for me to back on track in an ELMS race and to get that experience with this team.”

The 2015 European Le Mans Series LMP2 title was awarded to Greaves Motorsport, the British team has two wins in 2015 with Silverstone and Le Castellet. For the final race, Björn Wirdheim, Gary Hirsch and Jon Lancaster, at the wheel of the n°41 Gibson 015S, did not make any big mistake either, and it was not easy in the difficult weather conditions. Tim Greaves could not hide his happiness with his teams second place in Estoril: What a day, what a race. This championship win, our second, was amazing (First European endurance title in 2011). We had our up and downs, any of the three top teams could have won it, things really went down to the wire. ... What it means to the team is that we are back up where we belong, we have won races, we have won at Le Mans (2011)and now we have another championship. Björn, Gary and Jon stuck to the plan we had before the race and we all coped well with the changing and challenging conditions. The guys on the team were particularly sharp today at the pit stops, the reward for the hard work and practice in the run up to the race. We are looking forward to a light celebration (Sunday) and then planning our 2016 campaign.”

Darren Cox, Global Head of Brand, Marketing & Sales, NISMO was very impressed: “The battle was not easy between all the Nissan powered teams, and they offered a great spectacle on track. I would like to congratulate sincerely Greaves Motorsport team, for the great fight they supplied and that fact that they have know to be at the right place at the right time.”

The one who has lost the most at the 2015 season finale is without doubt JOTA Sport. At the head of the championship classification at the beginning of the week-end, the British team with a Portuguese driver finished the race in fourth position and missed the championship for two rows, finishing third overall. Unlucky Simon Dolan was on track as the rain started hard and got trapped in the gravel beds after a simple spin. By the time he could come out, the title had flown by... Sam Hignett, JOTA Sport team manager said: “JOTA Sport had the fastest driver line-up and the fastest car today but a small issue and a dose of bad luck meant that in the end we couldn't fight for the win and ultimately the championship. In fact today is the first time we haven't been on the podium all year.” But for sure the time will come for this team, who was second in Le Mans 24 Hours in the LMP2 category last June.

Amongst the three title contenders, the n°21 BR01 AF Racing of Mikkhail Aleshin, Kirill Ladygin and Victor Shaytar was absolutely irreproachable, every time the rain started to pour, they climbed on the third LMP2 step in Estoril. Russian team validates here with the reliability of the new car, which only came out in Imola, finishing for third time on the podium after Le Castellet and the Red Bull Ring (as SMP Racing). The second car BR01 n°20 of Nicolas Minassian, Maurizio Mediani and David Markosov, is 5th in Portugal.

Eurasia Motorsport finished 6th ahead of local Algarve Pro Racing Team and n°40 Ligier JS P2 of Krohn Racing. Peagsus Racing and Murphy Prototypes were unlucky in Portugal as they do not get any point.

On the LMP3 field, both Ginetta Nissan of Team LNT showed again there authority during this first ELMS season with both Team and Drivers Titles. But for the last race,  n°2 Ginetta won the race and herewith the very first win for Gaetan Paletou and Michael Simpson. The French wonder was very happy and emotional “The GT Academy programme has taught me a lot, and working with this team this season on the development of this brand new car, was just really exiting and wonderful. It was a unique experience.” Again Nissan Global Head of Brand Darren Cox was pleased: “I must say that Sir Chris Hoy and Gaetan Paletou have done a very impressive work during the whole season.”

In Estoril for the first time, Team LNT did not get a one & two finish, as the new team in town Graff with a brand new LMP3 called Ligier JP3 came to finish on the second podium step, which is definitely a great and very promising result for the new team and the new car who was racing for the firt time in Europe. SVK by Speed factory is 4th and Villorba Corse did not score any point at the ELMS finale race.

David Bristol / ELMS